Japan Seeks Dialogue with Russia Amid Prolonged Territorial Disputes

(MENAFN) Japan said Monday it would continue pursuing necessary communication with Russia despite the strained state of bilateral relations, as the two countries mark 70 years since signing a joint declaration that restored diplomatic ties.

“Even amid the difficult state of Japan-Russia relations, we will continue the necessary communication with the Russian side and work toward breaking the current deadlock," Japanese government spokesperson Minoru Kihara told reporters in Tokyo.

Relations between Tokyo and Moscow have deteriorated since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022. Japan has joined its Western partners in imposing sanctions on Russia, further complicating efforts to improve bilateral ties.

The two countries normalized relations through an agreement signed on Oct. 19, 1956, following World War II. However, a longstanding territorial dispute over a group of islands near Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido continues to prevent the signing of a formal peace treaty.

The disputed territories include Iturup, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai island group. Japan refers to them collectively as the Northern Territories, while Russia calls them the Southern Kurils.

Tokyo maintains that the islands were "illegally" seized by the former Soviet Union shortly after Japan surrendered in World War II on Aug. 15, 1945. Moscow, meanwhile, argues that the takeover was legitimate.

The disagreement has remained a major obstacle to resolving the countries’ postwar differences, despite the restoration of diplomatic relations decades ago.

Tensions have intensified in recent years as Japan continues to enforce sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war. Against this backdrop, Tokyo’s latest pledge to maintain communication signals its intention to keep diplomatic channels open while the territorial dispute and wider political differences remain unresolved.

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